1997 Land Rover Defender

Motorcar Studio is pleased to offer this 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 County, a rare South African model fitted from the factory with a BMW M52 2.8 liter inline six cylinder engine and factory A/C. Rarely seen in the US and desired by Land Rover enthusiasts worldwide, fewer than 700 were produced with this drivetrain, and only for the South African market. BMW owned Land Rover from 1994 to 2000. Although the Defender 90 and 110 had long been in production, a resourceful engineer at BMW in South Africa realized the M52 straight six would easily fit into a Defender. A total of 656 Defender 90s and 739 D110s were made with this engine from 1997 to 2001 (the continued use of BMW engines in Defenders did not survive BMWs sale of Land Rover in 2000 - although the L322 Range Rover, which was jointly developed by BMW and Land Rover in the late 1990s, debuted in 2001 with a BMW V8).

The result of this engineering experiment is a Defender with considerably better performance than any other drivetrain offered. The fuel injected BMW 2.8 is rated at 190 horsepower, compared to only 130 hp for the carbureted 3.5 liter Rover V8 (which was the standard engine for the South African market at the time). Most contemporary European market examples were fitted with a 300Tdi turbo Diesel good for only 111 hp. And even the desirable NAS Defenders sold in the US market with a fuel-injected petrol V8 only made 180 hp. Make no mistake, this is much smoother and more responsive than any D90 weve driven. Its appreciably more refined than a Diesel-powered example, and the overall driving dynamic is on par with a NAS truck (on paper a difference of 10 horsepower isnt much, but the BMW six definitely feels quicker and more willing to rev than the Rover V8).

This particular truck was imported in 2023 and has been under local enthusiast ownership since. Finished in the original shade of Mediterranean Blue, this D90 remains in excellent original condition inside and out. Original graphics show light patina. Factory 16-inch alloy wheels are wearing 235/85 BF Goodrich all terrain tires (roughly equivalent to 32x9.50). Frame, cross members, spring perches, bulkhead, and of course the body itself show zero signs of rust or prior repair. This is one of the most solid un-restored Defenders weve seen. Heavy-duty Melville and Moon canvas seat covers protect both the front seats and rear jump seats. The original seat upholstery remains in good condition beneath the covers. Excellent original steering wheel and dash. A modern Pioneer head unit features an integrated iPhone holder with a built-in inductive charger. Factory A/C blows cold (indeed, its rare to find any D90 equipped with factory air). Optioned with an extended range auxiliary fuel tank. Runs and drives great with all service up to date. 196,000 kilometers, which translates to approximately 122,000 miles.

Sold on a clean and clear South Carolina title. This A/C-equipped BMW-powered Defender 90 offers similar performance and refinement of a North American Specification (NAS) D90, but at a more approachable price point. For more information about this 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 2.8i for sale at Motorcar Studio in Savannah, please call 912-235-0435.